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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: staff · bound · tube · mug · bear · bark

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bound — obliged
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. staff — employees
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bound — certain
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mug — a face
  14. tube — a container
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bark — to shout
  17. staff — employees
  18. bound — tied together

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com